Bumper guard and trailer hitch



Oct- 17, 1950 r. w. sLAB'A'cK BUNPER GUARD AND TRAILER HITCH Filed June a, 194s 7 ...1. m w R. a E m b N E W n l A E w 5 l .m Tr 7 d, M. f A W ..1 rl:-

Patented Oct. 17, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE I r,5z5,9evn` I I BUMPEBGUARD AND Tannen nrron frravisw. slaback, Ghanaian-ens. Application June 8," 1948, Serial No. 31,647

This invention relates to a bumper guard including a trailer hitch as a part thereof.

Ari object of the invention is` to provide a bumper guard including a trailer hitch which is normally housed in the guard and is shiftable into operativeposition upon the will of the operator.

Another object of the invention is to provide a bumper guard in which there is mounted a trailer hitch for movement into an operative position and when in such operative position may be re` leasably so maintained.

A4 further object of the invention is to provide a bumper guard and trailer hitch which is simple in structure, easy to manipulate and highly enicientin action.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from the description. An embodiment of the invention is illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure l is a front elevational View showing' the bumper guard of the present invention attached to the bumper, with the trailer hitch in vertical or inoperative position; i i

Figure 2` is a sectional view taken onthe`- line 2 ,2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a side elevational sectional view of the bumper guard, but showingthe trailerhitch in its horizontal or operative position; the lock bar being moved so as to maintain the trailer hitch in such position; c

Figure i is a sectionalsview taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 3L Referring to the drawings, the bumper guard of 4the present invention broadly comprises a guard iii* having a hitch i2 pivotally connected to the guard le, the guard it being mounted on a bumper II.`

More speciiically, the guard hollow housing i3 having in its rear face I5 a cut-out 25 for a purpose to be` subsequently described. Mounted within the front face I@ of the housing I3 and carried thereby is a block I3, said block being provided with an arcuately-shaped recess I9. The block i8 is provided with a plurality oi spaced, aligned, threaded apertures 6 for a purpose to be subsequently described.

Positioned within the housing I3 adjacent the cut-out 25 are a pair of spacer blocks 25J and 2|, said blocks being arranged in spaced, aligned relation with respect to each other and carried by said housing. The spacer blocks 2U and 2| are each provided with a rectangular slot 22 and 23, respectively, the slots being arranged in aligned opposed relation.

Mounted for swinging movement about a hori- Ill embodies a.

sciaims. (ci. aso-sean i blocks 22` and 23.

zontal axis toward and away from the cut-out 25 is the hitch or towing bar i2.

ly-disposed pin 2li extending through the spacer Formed in the upper portion of the wall dening the cut-out 25 is a socket 9 for the reception of a spring lock 25. lock` 25` embodies acoil spring 27, Figure 2, having one end secured to said wall and its other end xedly secured to a ball 28 for normally biasing the latter out of the socket 9.

The hitch or towing bar I 2 is provided with an opening 33 adjacent the end thereof in which is `received the pin 2li to thereby provide a pivotal being in threaded engagement with the threaded aperture 2 of the towing bar I2. The lock bar 5i is provided with a pair of spaced, arcuatelyshaped recesses and E `for a purpose to be subsequently described. r)The towing bar I?. is provided with a socket 33 on its inner face in which is mounted a ball and spring lock 34 of the same construction as spring lock 26. I2 is' provided with an opening 3B extending therethrough Jfor the reception therein of a towing element. The outer end of the towing` bar l2 has a recess 3l therein whichreceives the ball 28" of the spring lock 2li to releasably maintain the towing bar i2 in its vertical or inoperative position.

The convex surface of the bumper II is seated in the arcuately-shaped recess I9 of the blockv I8, and an apertured flat plate 38 is positioned against the concave sideof the bumper Il. The apertured plate 3i! is detachably secured to the block I 8 by `means of threaded bolts 39 and 40 threadedly engaging the threaded apertures 6 and 3, respectively, thereby securing the guard I0 to the bumper II.

During normal use of the bumper guard and hitch, the towing bar I2 is in the vertical or inoperative position in bridging relation with respect to the cut-out 25 of the rear face I5, as shown in Figures l and 2, the towing bar being maintained in such position by the engagement of the ball 28 of the spring lock 26 with the recess The hitch or towing bar I2 is pivotally supported on a horizontal- The spring The towing bar 31 in the end of the towing bar I2. The lock bar 3|, when the towing bar I2 is in vertical or inoperative position, is in back of the towing bar I2 in a position such that the towing bar is free to pivot about the pin 24, Figures 1 and 2, and maintained in this position by engagement of the spring lock 36 with the recess 'I of the lock bar 3|. When it is desired to tow a vehicle, the towing bar 22 is moved from its vertical position, Figures 1 and 2, to its horizontal position, Figures 3 and e, so that a towing line can be inserted through the opening 3B of the towing bar I2. To maintain the towing bar in its horizontal or operative position, the lock bar 3l is pivoted 90 about the bolt 32 so that the ends of the lock bar `3l are in engagement with the rectangular i slots 22 and 23 of the blocks 20 and 2l. With the lock bar 3| in engagement with the slots 22 and 23, the spring lock 34 is in engagement with the recess 8 in the lock bar 3| to thereby releasably maintain the towing bar in its horizontal or operative position.

From the foregoing description and a study of the drawings, it will be apparent that I have provided a new construction. It is, of course, to be understood that I reserve the right to make such changes in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts as will not depart from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A trailer hitch adapted to be mounted on a vehicle bumper bar, said hitch comprising a vertioally elongated hollow casing, means for securing said casing stationarily on the bumper bar to serve as a bumper guard, and a tow bar pivoted on a horizontal transverse axis within said hollow casing and normally occupying a vertical position in closing relation to an opening provided in a wall of said casing, said tow bar being swingabie to a horizontal operative position extending outwardly through said opening and beyond said easing.

2. A trailer hitch adapted to be mounted on a vehicle bumper bar, said hitch comprising a vertically elongated hollow casing, means for securingsaid casing stationarily on the bumper bar to serve as a bumper guard, and a tow bar pivoted on a horizontal transverse axis within said hollow casing and normally occupying a Vertical position in closing relation to an opening provided in a wall of said casing, said tow bar being swingable to a horizontal operative position extending outwardly through said opening and beyond said casing, releasable detent means operating between a portion of said casing and the outer end of said tow bar for holding said tow bar in its normal vertical position in said opening.

3. A trailer hitch adapted to be mounted on a vehicle bumper bar, said hitch comprising a vertically elongated hollow casing, means for securing said casingstationarily on the bumper bar to serve as a bumper guard, and a tow bar pivoted on a horizontal transverse axis within said hollow casing and normally occupyinga vertical position in closing relation to an opening provided in a wall of said casing, said tow bar being swingable to a horizontal operative position extending outwardly through said opening and beyond said casing, releasable lock means operating between a portion of said casing and a portion intermediate the ends of said tow bar for locking said tow bar in its horizontal operative position.

4. A trailer hitch adapted for mounting 0n a vehicle bumper bar, said hitch comprising a vertically elongated hollow casing, means for securing said casing xedly with the inner wall thereof against the exposed face of the bumper bar to serve as a bumper guard with the outer wall of the casing spaced outwardly from the exposed face of the bumper guard, said outer wall of said casing being formed with an opening, a tow bar having its inner end pivoted on a horizontal transverse axis within said casing, said tow bar normally occupying a vertical position in closing relation to the opening in thev outer wall of said casing, said tow bar being swingable tofa horlzontal operative position through said opening and extending outwardly beyond said outer casing wall.

5. A trailer hitch adapted for mounting on a vehicle bumper bar, said hitch comprising a vertically elongated hollow casing, means for securing said casing xedly with the inner wall thereof against the exposed face of the bumper bar to serve as a bumper guard with the outer wall of the casing spaced outwardly from the exposed face of the bumper guard, said outer wall of said casing being formed with an opening, a tow bar having its inner end pivoted on a horizontal transverse axis within said casing, said tow bar normally occupying a vertical position in closing relation to the opening in the outer wall of said casing, said tow bar being swingable to a horizontal operative position through said opening and extending outwardly beyond said outer casing wall, releasable detent means for holding said tow bar in its normal vertical position in said opening, and releasable lock means for locking said tow bar in its horizontal operative position, Y

TRAVIS W. SLABACK.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,378,504 Roos Jan. 19, 1945 2,399,810 Ketcham l May 7, 1946 

